USRC Louisiana, was a wood hull topsail schooner designed by William Doughty that was commissioned in the United States Revenue Marine from 1819 to 1824. Assigned the homeport of New Orleans, Louisiana, she sailed the Caribbean extensively and was used mainly in anti-piracy activity. Construction On 6 April 1819, the Collector of Customs at New York City was authorized by the Treasury Department to build two cutters, one to be stationed in Louisiana and the other to be stationed at Mobile, Alabama. The cutters were constructed by the Christian Bergh Shipyard at New York City using plans drawn up by naval constructor William Doughty. Doughty designed plans for 31-ton, 51-ton, and 80-ton cutters for the Revenue Marine. The Alabama-class cutters, consisting of Alabama and Louisiana were constructed on the 51-ton plan that measured on deck, with a beam, and a depth of hold. Both were rigged as fore-topsail schooners with a square stern, raking masts, and light rails instead of heavy bulwarks. Both cutters were not armed initially, but were designed to accept a pivot gun amidships of a 9-pound to 18-pound capacity. Service After commissioning in New York City, Louisiana was assigned a homeport at New Orleans, Louisiana on 11 August 1819. Capture of pirate schooner Bravo While on her voyage to her homeport at New Orleans, on 31 August 1819, Louisiana assisted her sister ship, Alabama in the capture of the pirate vessel Bravo near Dry Tortugas. Bravo initiated the attack on Louisiana with a volley of musketry, during which the first officer and three crewmen were wounded. The pirate ship was owned by Jean Lafitte and commanded by Jean Defarges, one of his lieutenants. Bravo had captured the Spanish schooner Filomena with a cargo of flour bound for Havana, Cuba out of Pensacola, Florida. The crew of Bravo were taken to New Orleans to await trial on charges of piracy while the passengers of Filomena were freed and returned to their ship. Breton Island On 19 April 1820, Louisiana and Alabama raided the pirate operating base and stronghold on Breton Island. Both revenue cutters landed crewmen who burned buildings and woods. From Breton Island, both cutters continued westward searching for more pirate bases as part of a plan to eliminate piracy in the Gulf of Mexico. In July 1820, Louisiana captured four pirate craft with about 4,000 worth of stolen dry goods and a number of black